"He scored in the 93rd percentile and is number 17 on the wait list," she said of her son, A.J.

For the current academic year, only 12 spots were open for Kindergarten; 40 for pre-Kindergarten.

The Chief Networks Officer at Jefferson Parish Schools concedes that competition can be fierce.

"The elementary academies actually have very few remaining projected seats open," Bill Murphy said. "Part of any district strategy is to have a variety of options. We try to give parents the most possible choices."

Those options can include magnet and charter schools, but they often fill up fast.. with waiting lists common.

"So it's random," said Leslie Hodges, who hopes her 9-year-old son Ethan will be admitted. "I've heard a lot of really good things about the school. It's definitely a process to get your child in any good school, so if you want them to go, you have to wait."

As for A.J., he's most likely headed to a private school -- St. Catherine of Sienna. Mother Jamie figures it will cost about $5,000 a year, including uniforms and fees.

"We have two sons, so for us, we were hoping that at least one of them would have placement in the public schools so we could avoid the financial burden of having to pay for two private schools," she told WDSU.

A Mexican photojournalist who left the state he worked in because of threats was among five people found shot to death in a Mexico City apartment this weekend, officials and press freedom advocacy groups said.